Track connecter for toy electric railways



June 20, 1933. L. w. ROSENTHAL TRAQKfiONNECTBR FOR TOY ELECTRIC RAILWAYS Filed Feb. 10, 1931 INVENTOR.

Patented June 20, 1933 UNITED STATS LEON 1V. ROSENTHAL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRACK CONNECTEB FOR TOY ELECTRIC BAILWAYS Application fi-led February 10, 1931.

' an electrical connection to one or more of 0 vide means for not only mechanically joining abut-ting rails but arranging that the connecting means shall comprise a wire terminal such as a phone cord tip. As to the third named feature it is arranged either to provide an element which may be readily at tached to or detached from a rail or provide said rail with a portion arranged to engage a wire terminal of the nature aforesaid.

As in the case of the aforesaid pending ap- 0 plication, it is arranged that the connecter elements shall be individually and readily attachable and detachable or removable without requiring the separation of abutting track sections.

The features of invention above enumerated are illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein,

Fig. l is a plan view of a toy electric railway track assembly (in part) incorporating various embodiments of my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a partof Fig. 1 showing one embodiment; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line l4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 55 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 66 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is an elevation showing another embodiment of my invention; F ig. 7a is a vertical section on the line aa of Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 is still another embodi- Serial NO. 514,762.

ment of my invention seen from the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1 there is shown part of a track assembly consisting of three track sections 1, 2, 3 each comprising track rails 4, i and a power rail 5 held in spaced rela tion by end ties 6, 6 and intermediate tie 7.

In Figs. 2, 3 and at, the contiguous end ties 6, 6 of abutting track sections 1, 2 are provided with straps, clips, clamps or other retaining means 8, 8 for receiving and clampingly engaging a connector element, such as pin 9, whereby the ties and hence the sections are joined to each other. The pin 9 is preferably provided with a transverse stud or projection 10 which upon rotation of said pin will have a cam action against the tie to more effectively secure said pin to said tics and prevent removal of said pin when in its operative position. The pin may be readily removed by rotating it through 90, that is with the handle portion 11 vertically up and then sliding the pin out from said straps. The pins 9, 9 may be provided with a hole 12 into which may be inserted a wire terminal such as the phone cord tip 13. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the straps 8, 8 of the ties are arranged at an angle so that in rotating the handle portion from the verticaltothe horizontal operative position, the said strap will act as a cam against the said handle portion to tend to draw the ties together and hold the same firmly and immovably in spaced relation. The stud 10 of course cooperates to make this camming action possible by preventing longitudinal displacement of the pin which would void the said camming action. Thus this arrangement acts very much to the same effect as the tie plates now in use so far as this latter aspect of the invention is concerned.

In Fig. 5 there are shown two abutting or contiguous rails at or near the abutting end of each of which there is formed integral with the rails a spring 'lip portion 14 or other equivalent arrangement for receiving and clampingly engaging a pin such as 9 or a phone cord tip such as 13 (Fig. 6). The abutting rails are joined by passing the pin or tip through the clip portion of said rails.

Lil

For providing a convenient means for merely making an electrical connection to one of the rails, the clip portion 14 may be formed along any desired joint of the rail as shown in Fig. 8.

In Figs. 7 and 7 a there is disclosed a terminal clip element or electrical connecter 15 which is arranged to be clampingly attached or snapped on to a rail and is provided with a part 16 integral with the element for receiving and clampingly retaining a phone cord tip 13 or other wire terminal.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a toy railway, a pair of contiguous sheet metal track elements having integral resilient means for receiving and clampingly retaining a common connecter member, said means being so disposed with respect to said elements as to allow said connecter to be installed and removed without requiring separation of said elements from their normal relative positions.

2. In a toy railway, a pair of contiguous sheet metal track elements including each a resilient clip formed integral therewith, and a common connecter member arranged to be retained by said clips, said clips being so disposed with respect to said elements as to allow said connecter to be removed and in-' stalled without requiring separation of said elements from their normal relative positions.

3. In a toy railway, a pair of abutting track sections each comprising a plurality of rails and a sheet metal tie near the abutting ends of said rails, said ties having integral, resilient means each for retaining a common connecter member.

4. In a toy railway, a pair of abutting track sections each comprising a plurality of rails and a sheet metal tie near the abutting ends of said rails, said ties including each a resilient clip formed integral therewith, and a common connecter element retained by said clips to join said ties to each other.

5. In a toy railway, a pair of abutting sheet metal rails each having an exterior spring clip formed integral therewith at or near its abutting end and both clips being arranged to retain a common connecter member.

6. In a toy railway, a pair of abutting sheet metal rails each having an exterior spring clip formed integral therewith at or near its abutting end, and a common connecter retained by said clips.

7. A toy railway sheet metal track tie having a resilient clip formed integral therewith.

8. A toy rail of sheet metal having a resilient clip formed integral therewith and on the outside of the rail.

9. In a toy railway, a pair of contiguous track elements, a common connecter member therefor, and means integral with said elements for receiving said member, said memher and said means being so arranged that in securing it in operative position the said member will be cammed by said means to draw said elements together.

10. In a toy railway, a pair of contiguous track elements provided each with a strap at least one of which is diagonal to the track, and a common connecter member secured in said straps in cammed engagement with the diagonal strap.

11. In a toy railway, a pair of contiguous track elements provided each with a strap at least one of which is diagonal to the track, and a common connecter member held by said straps and having a projection at each end, the projection at the end adjacent the diagonal strap being cammed by said diagonal strap to draw the projection on the other end against the side of the other strap to draw said elements together.

12. In a toy railway, a pair of contiguous sheet metal ties having each a strap portion punched therefrom, and a common connecter held by said straps.

18. In a toy railway, a pair of contiguous sheet metal ties having each a strap portion punched therefrom, at least one of which is diagonal to the tie, and a common connecter member held by said straps and having a projection at each end, the projection at the end adjacent the diagonal strap being cammed by said diagonal to draw the other projection against the side of the strap adjacent thereto to draw said ties together.

ii. A sheet metal toy rail having a head, web and flange portion with a spring clip formed integral with the flange.

15. In a toy railway, a pair of abutting sheet metal rails each having a head, web and flange portion with a spring clip formed integral with the flanges at or near the abutting ends, and a common connecter member engaged by said clips.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEON IV. ROSENTHAL. 

